Institute at the Golden Gate

At the Institute, we envision a simple but revolutionary future for parks where their role goes beyond conservation and recreation to help solve complex human challenges. As a cornerstone of social innovation, parks become more valuable today and for future generations. Working closely with partner organizations, we identify unique opportunities to bring about change locally, regionally, and nationally.

Who We Are

A program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy in partnership with the National Park Service, the Institute incubates knowledge and innovation in parks. Embedded in one of the country’s most visited and influential national parks, we convene leaders and influencers to forge unconventional partnerships that reach beyond traditional park boundaries.

Our Approach

We explore opportunities for parks to catalyze lasting, large-scale change to society. Our portfolio is always evolving – as are society’s needs. Our current programs focus on parks as a tool for preventive healthcare, a classroom for climate education, and a resource for critical urban issues like homelessness, income and racial inequity, and rapid development. Every challenge requires a unique approach and the Institute taps a range of capabilities to identify and develop the best tool, model, or partnership.

Discover & Explore

Our starting point for addressing any challenge is to draw from best practice but also think outside the box. Using practical, applied research we explore new ideas and existing models, dig into how they work, and create essential tools to support park innovators, such as case studies, toolkits, and trainings.

Incubate & Build

While research and discovery is a vital part of our process, we believe it is critical to work with diverse partners to test these ideas on the ground. By building and convening communities of practice, we have a greater impact than any one organization could on its own. Examples of these partnerships include the Healthy Parks Healthy People: Bay Area collaborative and the Bay Area Climate Literacy Impact Collaborative.

Amplify & Share

Critical to everything we do is our ability to amplify and scale what we learn. We share our expertise and problem solving process with local communities to national policy makers, building momentum so that promising ideas become common practice. The ultimate measure of our success is how our programs impact people and their communities.

Institute at the Golden Gate Programs

The Institute is pleased to welcome environmentally-focused groups to our partner venue, Cavallo Point-the Lodge at the Golden Gate, through a special Institute meeting package rate. Our LEED certified campus at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge is on 45-acres of land at Fort Baker, within the Golden Gate National Parks. Cavallo Point Lodge is an inspiring location for advancing dialogue, collaboration, and action.

The Special Institute Group Rate

Through a special arrangement with the National Park Service, qualifying groups may apply to receive a special Institute group rate for lodging, meeting space, and meal packages at Cavallo Point Lodge.

All organizations interested in receiving this rate must:

Be a nonprofit, government, or cross-sector institution hosting an event focused on environmental issues. For-profit businesses may be eligible for the special rate.

Select a date between November 1 and April 30 (holiday weekends excluded).

Host an overnight event with a minimum of 10 lodging rooms per night.

Conduct a conference, meeting or event that aligns with the Institute's mission and has broad potential for impact in serving a diverse audience.

The Institute group rate is based on the annual government per diem rate at the time of your event. Availability of the special rate is limited and subject to Institute approval. Please contact the Institute at Convene@instituteatgoldengate.org or (415) 561-3557 to learn more about eligibility and complete details.

Fort Baker: A Project Built on Partnership

The Institute at the Golden Gate was established through a collaboration of nonprofit, government, and private organizations, including the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, National Park Service and the Fort Baker Retreat Group LLC. The Institute is operated as a program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy in partnership with the National Park Service. The Institute is managed by a team of Conservancy staff, with oversight by Conservancy managers and trustees.

The partnership at Fort Baker is comprised of:

The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit membership organization created to preserve the Golden Gate National Parks, enhance the experience of its park visitors, and build a community dedicated to conserving the parks for the future.

The National Park Service (NPS) manages the Golden Gate National Parks as well as 407 other park sites across the United States. Established in 1916, the mission of the NPS is to conserve the scenery, natural and historic resources, and wildlife within these parklands and to provide for their enjoyment for future generations.

Cavallo Point—The Lodge at the Golden Gate is an elegant and environmentally-sustainable upscale resort and meeting venue. The Lodge boasts 142 guest rooms and 14,000 square feet of adaptable meeting space, including a dedicated board room. In addition to being a member of Historic Hotels of America, this San Francisco luxury resort was named one of the "Top 10 New American Landmarks" by Travel+Leisure and has been awarded LEED Gold Certification for its environmentally-sustainable design and construction. For information and reservations, phone (415) 339-4700 or visit www.cavallopoint.com.